The cryptic people
by Eraman
Summary: Bomba doesn't understand kittens and Skimble helps her. Songfic! Oneshot!


**This is a little something that I had to get down on paper so I can continue with my other stories. It refused to leave me alone. The lyrics are my translation of one of my favorite songs. Don't own that or any of the characters... wish I did though... My baby talk might not be that good... but I hope it's not too bad.**

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><p>"I will never understand kittens", Bomba grumled as she sat down beside Skimbleshanks and tried to get water out of her tail. Pouncival, Tumble and their new friends Carbucketty and Bill Bailey had dumped a bucket over her, Cassandra and Demeter. Demeter had laughed and thanked them for the shower, Cassie had wanted to kill them and had chased them everywhere and Bomba had done the same. She'd actually managed to catch Tumble, who had a slight limp because of an accident earlier.<p>

"Why did you do that", she had yelled at him. "Why did you have to ruin our good day and nice fur with water?"

"You fije", he had said with his baby talk. This was long before Grizabella was made the Jellicle choice. "We wanna 'elp you Blina." He looked at her with big innocent eyes.

"I what", she asked.

"You fije it owie. Jummy say so."

"Jummy…" Bomba had thought for a bit and had then growled. "Tugger."

"Jummy say you kiss us."

Bomba looked at the little kitten and he looked at her with his big eyes.

"No", she had hissed at him and he hade made himself small and looked scared. She had sighed and kissed him on the head. "I'm sorry Tumble. Come on. Scram. Go and find your friends or your brother."

"Al'no wif Mun."

"He's with Munk? Well… go and find your friends then."

"Kay…" Tumble had said and limped off. Bomba had sighed and walked over to Skimbleshanks. Which takes us back to the very beginning of this story actually… Skimble just chuckled and looked at her.

"But Bomba you were one yourself lass", he said.

"Yeah well that was a long time ago."

"It wasn't that long ago and have you already forgotten what it means to be a kitten?"

"Yes. They're a mystery to me." She looked around and saw the now seven tom kits try to sneak up on Alonzo and Munkustrap. "They're at it again." She complained.

Skimble followed her gaze and chuckled. He knew that the two teenagers that the kittens were sneaking up on was well aware of them being there. But they pretended not to know and soon Plato, Quaxo, Misto and the other four jumped them. Munk and Alonzo gave up quickly and let their captors take them away and 'tie' them to a lamp. The little Indians then hurried off to find a new victim and Alonzo and Munk went on talking.

"Why aren't they just leaving", Bomba asked watching them. The belt that tied them was so loose it was slipping down towards the ground.

"Because they are part of the kittens' game lass. They want to make them happy and be part of their own world."

"It's stupid."

"But lass a kitten's world is wonderful."

"Yeah right."

Skimble chuckled and started to sing softly:

**_Kittens are a people and they live in a foreign country  
>this country is a rain and a puddle<br>Across that puddle the tom kits' boats sail sometimes  
>and they sail so nice without keel<br>There – _**He pointed towards little Etcetera that was picking something up.  
><strong><em>Goes a princess that collects rocks<br>she has a million of them_** – He pointed up at Pouncival who was sitting on a junk pile looking for new Indian pray. He surely imagined he was in a tree.  
><strong><em>The king of trees sits still among branches<br>in the tree-king's throne  
>There is a tom kit that laughs at snow – <em>**He nodded at Plato that was laughing at one of the still lingering snow piles for a reason only he knew.  
><strong><em>There goes a princess that made an island<br>of fifteen pillows – _**He nodded at little Electra that was jumping into water puddles.  
><strong><em>There goes a tom kit and everything turns to ice-cream<br>When he touches it – _**He nodded to Misto who was touching objects and pretending something happened.  
><strong><em>All are kittens and they belong to the cryptic people<em>**

Skimble looked at Bomba and she shook her head.

"That doesn't make any sense!" she complained.

"Course it does lass… listen…" Skimble went on:

**_Kittens are a people and they live in a foreign country  
>this country is a meadow and a wind<br>There a tom kit might find a new Samarkand  
>and then travels away on a swaying gate<em>** – Skimble nodded to a young Jemima that was singing.  
><strong><em>There goes a princess and sings about cones<br>She owns two herself  
>There by a plank a tom kit is doodling that<br>the world is blue – _**He nodded towards Carbucketty that had found paint and was using it on the plank.  
><strong><em>There walks a tom kit that turned into an Indian – <em>**He nodded at Tumble who was now guarding Munk and Alonzo. Skimble then pointed at Bill Bailey that was sneaking from junk to junk as if he was hunting.  
><strong><em>There, there walks the king of shadows around town<br>and tail baddies  
>There a princess finds a funny face<br>that she's trying – _**He pointed at young Sillabub that had found a mirror and made funny faces in front of it with Victoria.  
><strong><em>All are kittens and they belong to the cryptic people<em>**

"But Skimble I don't-" Bomba began but he cut her off.

**_Kittens are a people and they live in a foreign country  
>this country is a yard and a shed<br>There the dangerous train-robbery at times  
>wonderful nights when the moon is yellow<br>There goes a kitten who's guessing on cars,  
>he himself always wins – <em>**This kitten was Quaxo he was looking at old toy cars.  
><strong><em>The birds' songs in different styles<br>are magical jokes  
>There a useless thing is a treasure<br>There bed turn to ships at night  
>and sails to the moon<br>_****_There are realms that none of us  
>takes from them<br>_****_All are kittens and they belong to the cryptic people_**

He looked at Bomba.

"Are they still hard to understand lass", he asked. Bomba thought for a bit and looked at the kittens, well those she could see.

"No", she said. "They are just having fun and are imagine things… The boys really believed that me, Deme and Cassie were…"

"Were lass", Skimble urged. Bomba still hadn't realized what Tumble has said they were. Then she remembered that it was Tugger that told them what they were.

"On fire", she sighed. "Tugger told them that we were on fire… not literally and I can guess he said that if they found a way to tame it they'd get kissed. And since they are just babies they took it literally…"

"Exactly lass oi!"

"Got ya", Quaxo cheered. A rope was now around Skimble. "I got Skimble! You cajtiv."

"Yes yes lad", Skimble said and got up as the other tom kits hurried over and started to pull him away. Tumble stayed and looked at Bomba and she looked back.

"What", she asked.

"You queen", he said.

"Yes I am, I'm a grownup princess. A queen."

"No", he said and shook his head. "You queen of home."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You pretty." Tumble ran off and Bomba smiled.

Cassie sat down beside her and watched Skimble be tied up with Munk and Alonzo.

"I will never understand kittens", she said. "Or why the boys just go with what they are doing… what are they doing anyway?"

"They're playing Cassie", Bomba said. "Kittens are a people and belong to the cryptic people."

"You got that right…"

Bomba laughed because she knew Cassie had no idea what she meant.

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><p><strong>Song is Det gåtfulla folket check it out on youtube or Spotify or whatever is available :D<strong>


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